Daniel m



(.No Model.)

D. M. S-O'MERS.

AUTOMATIC PENCIL CASE.

No. 248,520. Patented Oct. l1.8, 188-1.

llNrrEn STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

DANIEL M. SOMERS, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH REOKENDORFER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC PENCIL-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,520, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed October 16, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL M. SoMERs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Pencil- Oases, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

1o In said drawings, Figure l represents, by a longitudinal elevation, partially in section, one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 represents, by a similar view, a modification thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation ot' one structure of the lead-holding tube. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of another form of said tube. Figs. 5 and 6 represent different side elevations of the ring carrying the bearings for the toggle-jaws and spring'. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of said ring,

2o with the toggle-jaws adjusted therein. Fig.8 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line zo of Fig. 2, and Fig. 9 is a similar View taken on the line y y of the same gure.

For the purposes of more convenient illus- 2 5 tration, the parts are shown in Figs. l and 2 as adjusted in the position in which thejaws release their gripe upon the lead.

The improvements effected by me are embodied in an automatic pencil-case in which a 3o movable lead is controlled in its relation to the tip by holding-jaws arranged so as to have a toggle-like action imparted to them by the movements of a carrier to which they are pivoted.

The instrument is given the dimensions and form of an ordinary pencil-case, thus having a long handle that terminates at one end in a tip contracted so that the movable lead that is carried in a lead-holding tube contained within 4o the handle may, when protruded for use, form an extension of the tip that shall not be abrupt.

In carrying my invention into practical effect I connect the handle A and lead-holding tube 2 together, so that they are immovable with respect to each other. When this handle is made of wood, as is represented in Fig. l, it is bored centrally to receive the lead-holding tube 2, and is preferably supplied with a ferrule, 3, Xed to and projecting from its forward end, to provide the chamber 4 and a bearing upon which slides the carrier B, the forward end of which is contracted to form the' tip C; but this ferrule forms no essential part of the structure, aswillhereinafterappear. Theleadholding tube 2 is preferably circular, but may be of any other shaped cross-section that provides an inner area that will freely receive and guide the lead, and to facilitate its construction it is desirable to form it as a split tube. At a proper pointthe body of this tube is swaged or upset to form bearing stop-guides, as 7, in which the inner or free ends of the toggle-jaws 6 play, said guides being open to admit the passage of the jaws within the lead-holding tube, and having parallel sides, as 1, to guide the jaws truly in their rocking movement, and having transverse Walls 8, that; act as stops limiting the rocking movement of saidjaws, and thereby determining the reciprocating or sliding movement of the carrier B upon the handle A.

The togglejaws each have their outer or pivotal ends hung in sockets or bearings 9, that project from opposite sides of a ring, 10, that is perforated centrally, so that it may move j overjhe lead-holding tube 2 without disturbing it, and which has a diameter adapting its exterior wall or circumference to fit snugly within the carrier B, so that its sockets 9 may rest against the circular shoulder formed by contracting sa'id carrier to form the tip C, said ring 10 being secured in place by forcing in the body ofthe carrier to form teats, as 11, by rivets or in any other common manner. The base of this ring l0 forms a seat for the spiral spring 12, that is coiled about the lead-holding tube 2, whose opposite end is seated upon the end of the wooden portion of thehandle A; or it may be upon a collar affixed to the said leadholding tube 2, or to a ring or other projection fixed to the walls of the handle when formed of a tube, 3, as in Fig. 2. This lead-holding tube 2 may terminate at the point where it is perforated and swaged to form the bearing stop-guides 7, as in Figs. l and 4, -or it may be continued beyond that point to extend its bearing-walls for the lead 14. it is to contain nearly or quite to the extremity of the walls forming the tip O, as in Figs. 2 and 3; and since the forward end of the tube 2 thus extended is made substantially parallel with the inner` walls of the tip, so that said tip and its carrier will be guided thereby when the latter is reciprocated to operate the togglejaws, it will hence be obvious that the solid handle, Fig. 1, need not be provided with the ferrule 3, and thus that said handle, whether made solid, as in Fig. 1, or of tubular construction, asin Fig. 2, need extend into the carrierB only so far as isnecessary to provide a bearing for one within the other. p

In the modification, Figs. 2, 8, and 9, the exterior of the carrier B is corrugated, as is seen in Figs. 2 and 8, to form a superior grasping-surface for the fingers when the pencil-case is in use; and it is to be understood that these corrugations may be parallel longitudinal dutings or any regular or irregular undulations or other uneven surface. rlhe handle A in this form is made of a case or tube, 3, its length being sutiicient to form a handle of proper dimensions; and in consequence of the interior space it provides I am enabled to introduce within it a star-shaped tube that provides a number of radial walls, 15, which divide the chamber between the lead-holding tube 2 and the inner surface of the tube 3, with a number of cells, 16, of a length sufficient to accom modate extra leads, 14, a number of which may thusbestoredinsaidhandle. Thisstar-shaped tube also operates to unite the tubes 2 and 3 securely together, thus enabling said tube to be made very light, and yet form practically a rigid and strong handle. To afford access to these leads I provide the end of the handle A with a simple removable cap, D,which may be secured in place by a screw-thread or any other common means, so that when the lead in the tube 2 is exhausted said tube may be replenished by removing the cap D, withdrawing a lead from one of the cells 16, and introducing itinto the tube 2, either into its tip end or intoits base end, which may be left open for that purpose.

Normally the spring 12, that is seated upon the handle or upon a collar on the tube 2, that is fast to the handle, or upon a ring projecting from the case 3, will press against the ring 10, and thus cause said ring to move outward, taking with it the carrier B, which will then slide upon the ferrule or case 3. This outward movement of the ring 10 and its carrier B causes the outer surfaces of the togglejaws 6 to abut against the inner faces of the outer transverse walls, 8, of the guides 7, formed as a part of the non-movin g lead-holding tube 2, and thus to be rocked inward as the carrier B moves outward, and hence to be projected forward within the lead-holdin g tube 2, whereby, if said tube contains a lead, as 14, said lead will be seized upon opposite sides by the faces of said toggle-jaws, (which faces should be V-shaped, so as to present four bearing-surfaces, but other shapes may be used efectually if the bearing-faces be serrated or screw-threaded,) and thus embraced and held in fixed relation to the tube 2, with a pressure regulated by the power ot the spring 12, said lead then acting as a stop, limiting the rearward movement of the said jaws, while in the absence of such lead the rear surfaces of said arms will abut against the inner faces of the inner transverse walls, 8, which then act as stops limiting such movement. If, now, the carrier B is forcibly pressed rearward, it is manifest that the outer surfaces of the togglejaws 6 will be borne upon by said inner faces of the outer transverse walls, 8, and thus be vibrated outward within said tube 2, and thus open the space between their ends, so that the lead 14 is released from their grasp, which lead may then be adjusted to protrude, as may be desired, from the end of the tip G, or allowed to retire within the tube 2, where it may be stored for carriage when the pencil is out of use, the jaws 6 being then thrust forward by the spring and acting as a stop, so closing said tube 2 as to prevent the egress of said lead.

Of course it will be apparent that three and even a greater number of toggle-jaws may be used without departing from my invention, and it may be remarked that when the leadis round or sextagonal threejaws will efficiently act, and when the lead is square two or four jaws maybe used, and that in some cases the faces of the jaws may be plain.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the handle part A, which carries the lead-holdin g tube, constitutes, in effect, a pressure-cap, by which the lead-holding tube may be moved lengthwise with respect to the carrier, or that portion of the case to which the toggle-jaws are pivoted, for the purpose of causing said jaws to release or grasp the lead as desired. This feature I do not claimfbroadly, in pencilcases or lead and crayon holders; nor do I claim the same when combined with a retracting spring which automatically moves the parts in a direction to cause the jaws to close on the lead.

I also remark, in conclusion, that I do not claim, broadly, an automatic,` lead or crayon holder in which one or more grasping-jaws inside of and connected with the sheath or handle are arranged to enter an opening in the leadholding tube, so as to grasp the lead therein when the tube is retracted, and to be removed from the opening out of contact with the lead when the tube is moved forward.

What I do claim as my invention is- 1. A pencil-case consisting of a handle and a lead-containing tube fixed to said handle, in combination with a sliding carrier which is spring-seated with respect to said handle and is movable lengthwise relatively thereto, and togglej aws which are pivoted to said carrier and enter openings in said lead-holding tube, all substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the handle and IOO IIO

tube 2, Xed thereto, of the carrier B, togglejaws 6, pivoted thereto, and spring 12, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the handle und 5 pivoted toggle-jaws, of a lead-carrying tube provided with guides 7 for said jaws, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the tube or case and the tip C, of a. lead-carrying tube, 2, exro tending Within said tip, and provided with a rigid end that acts as a guidefor the latter in its sliding movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing` wit- 15 nesses.

DANIEL M. SOMERS.

Witnesses:

H. T. MUNsoN, T. H. PALMER. 

